Parallel Bars A Skills

A SKILLS

Drill: Stack mats to the level of the bars. Have gymnasts swing off to land on their backs on the mats. They should stay as extended as possible and land high on their backs. As the gymnasts displays improvement raise the height of the mats to help develop height in the dismount.

The release should occur as late as possible to generate height and rotation. An early release will cause the dismount to travel forward.

A deep shrug through the bottom followed by an aggressive pop at the release point will increase the height of the dismount.

If the gymnast intends to do twisting dismounts, they should dismount to the left for right twist, and to the right for left twist. This is so that the twist is towards the bar.

Work this skill on the floor with tape lines first. The gymnast should start in a push up position with their hands on parallel tape lines spaced as their bar setting. Then the gymnast should push off their left hand reach it across to the right tape line, immediately push and reach their right hand back for the other line. The end rear support should be fully extended, and no piking should have occurred during the drill.

Once on bars the key is to complete the skill quickly during the transition phase of the swing. It should be initiated just before the peak of the swing so the skill is completed as the swing peaks.

The swing prior to a straddle cut should be small. If the swing is big a significantly more aggressive block off the bar is required to rotate the shoulders back enough to complete the skill.

Start in an arched prone support on floor. Pop off the arms and straddle cut to seated pike.

The swing for a straddle cut should involve a slight pike on the rearward phase of the front swing followed by a heel drive to give loft to the rear swing. Then the gymnast should pop off their arms aggressively and excecute the straddle cut.